Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Saturday toured rain-hit regions of south-west Germany, where rivers have swelled and caused flash floods and landslides. A huge downpour on Friday in the German state of Saarland deluged buildings, left streets deep underwater and sparked evacuations, with rescuers carrying stranded residents to safety in boats. German emergency workers were on...
Tag: world news
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Mandatory heat pumps abolished as farmers’ party takes net zero fight into heart of Dutch government
Compulsory farm buyouts will now be replaced with a voluntary scheme, which was one of the Dutch Farmer-Citizen Movement’s (BBB) conditions for entering government with Mr Wilders. The BBB triumphed in regional elections after a vote dominated by the tractors’ protests that inspired similar populist uprisings against EU green rules across Europe. In the general...
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Dutch far-Right government set for immigration showdown with EU
Frans Timmermans, the former EU climate chief and leader of the opposition GreenLeft–Labour party, said the pact was “disastrous”. Mr Wilders, an ardent eurosceptic, was forced to ditch a campaign promise to hold a Brexit-style Nexit referendum and sacrifice his hopes of being prime minister to get the deal over the line. The prime minister...
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The Netherlands veers sharply to right with new government dominated by party of Geert Wilders
THE HAGUE – Anti-Islam firebrand Geert Wilders and three other party leaders agreed on a coalition deal early Thursday that veers the Netherlands toward the hard right, capping a half year of tumultuous negotiations that still left it unclear who will become prime minister. The “Hope, courage and pride” agreement introduces strict measures on asylum...
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Pictured: Dutch pensioner builds five-storey castle in his back garden
A 76-year-old Dutchman has single-handedly built a five-storey castle in his back garden, complete with knights, damsels, and a shimmering dragon fashioned from recycled metal. The towers of the Olt Stoutenburght Castle (“Old Naughty Citadel”) rise unexpectedly from the flat fields around the tiny village of Blesdijke in the northern Dutch countryside. Gerry Halman, who...
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One of Europe’s most wanted drug lords on run after Spanish court grants bail
Intercepted communications between members of Dutch-Moroccan gangs had mentioned her name, and that of Mark Rutte, the prime minister, forcing her to ditch plans to live in student accommodation in Amsterdam while studying for her degree. The threat to Amalia had not disappeared but she was able to live and study in the Netherlands again,...
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The Netherlands hardens stance as transgender law voted down
Those three parties are in coalition talks with the pro-business VVD, which voted not to withdraw the bill and was the dominant party in the last government. Meanwhile, 70 MPs voted against ditching the bill. The caretaker government will now have to decide what to do about the motion brought by NSC, which was formed...
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Sex work from home row splits the Netherlands
Dutch cities have warned that plans to allow sex workers to work from home will be a “nuisance” for families. Some authorities are in favour but other cities fear it will cause antisocial behaviour in residential neighbourhoods and make it harder to spot abuse. Sex work is legal in the Netherlands but the laws have...
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Netherlands may reverse motorway speed limit cut which ‘barely reduces emissions’
Mr Wilders, dubbed the “Dutch Trump” has called for the Netherlands to leave the Paris climate agreement, and the other parties are also keen to roll back the measure. Mark Rutte, who is still caretaker prime minister, said it was a “rotten measure” as he imposed the new limit for years ago at the behest...
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Amsterdam bans new hotels with over 42K rooms already available in fight against mass tourism
Amsterdam has banned the construction of new hotels as part of their latest attempt to rein in the number of rowdy tourists visiting the Dutch capital each year. “We want to make and keep the city livable for residents and visitors,” the City Council said in a statement. This means no over-tourism, no new hotels,...
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Dutch Crown Princess Amalia fled to Spain over kidnap fears
NOS said the princess moved to the Spanish capital instead. Amalia speaks fluent Spanish and her mother Queen Maxima, 52, was born and grew up in Argentina. The threat to Amalia had not disappeared but she was able to live and study in the Netherlands again, thanks to unspecified “measures”, NOS said. She is reportedly...
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Belgium and Netherlands call for puberty blocker restrictions following Cass Review
Belgium and the Netherlands have become the latest countries to question the use of puberty blockers on children after the Cass Review warned of a lack of research on the gender treatment’s long-term effects. Britain has become the fifth European nation to restrict the use of the drug to those under 18 after initially making...
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